MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters has locked in their centers Luis Villegas and Keith Datu to three-year rookie contracts days after picking them in the PBA Season 48 Rookie Draft.
The Painters announced on their social media pages on Wednesday afternoon the signing of the two stretch bigs but the terms of the contract was not made public.
“The future of Rain or Shine is locked in! Luis Villegas and Keith Datu have both signed a three-year deal with the Elasto Painters,” the Painters wrote on their post.
Villegas and Datu were selected third and fourth overall, respectively, by Painters head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao during the Sunday night draft at Market! Market! in Taguig City.
“Kailangan na namin mag-isip ng future namin. Beau (Belga), Jewel (Ponferrada) and Mark Borboran, our bigs, they’re getting older, so we need a new generation of big men,” Guiao said.
“With the players we acquired, we’re hoping that they can take over. But we are not putting pressure on them since they still need to adjust,” added the seven-time PBA champion coach.
Villegas and Datu are aware that they will shoulder significant responsibilities with Rain or Shine as they look forward to be under coach Guiao and also learn from veteran centers like Belga.
“As the fourth overall pick, I’m very grateful and blessed to be in this position,” Datu said. “I’m excited to learn from Beau; he’s been around. I know we will build chemistry and hopefully grow and learn this season.”
“I’m excited. I’ve heard a lot of good stories about Coach Yeng — a lot of stories about his intensity — but I also heard that everyone respects him. I’m excited to see what he can do to help me succeed in the PBA,” Villegas added.
Meanwhile, the Painters have revised its trade transaction with the TNT Tropang Giga as it added Jewel Ponferrada to the mix along with rookie Henry Galinato.
In exchange, the Tropang Giga will send Dave Marcelo along with a future first round pick to the Painters. The deal is now up for PBA Commissioner’s Office’s approval./PN
